Corrupting the Incorruptible
by AnAverageGirl15
Summary: Oliver never thought he would have to make a choice like this again. This time, he couldn't.


**A/N: This was meant to just be angst and pain, then it grew a turned into a ball of emotions and just tears and then got really dark and yet light. I could write an alter ending for this (it's already in the process) if you want it. Fair warning though that it won't be any less painful. Just a different kind of pain. Hope I did this idea justice. Came to me after the mid-season finale and I couldn't not do it. Grab tissues. They're needed.**

He never thought that he would have to make this choice ever again. The first time was hell as it was. That one time changed everything within him. He had that blood on his hands forever. Shado died because he made a choice. Now Slade was making him choose again. But this one was even more impossible. Slade knew this; he wanted to see Oliver suffer. Suffer like he had. Slade had tried to do it by corrupting her. Corrupt the ones he loved. She was strong though and loyal to a fault. She couldn't be corrupted by Slade. Not even after she learned of what Oliver had done, what type of person he really was. Those were words though and they could only go so far. Actions, however, speak louder than any words. They show your true self, your true feelings. Slade was going to show her exactly what she meant to Oliver. Finally show her that she wasn't important to him. Make her lose her faith, her hope, her trust, and her everything. He was going to show her Oliver's true feelings.

Slade had the two women Oliver loved the most in the world kneeling in front of him. One knew how he felt, how much he loved her (or he hoped she did), and the other he was never able to tell, trying to stop the inevitable pain. Oliver wanted to though. They had worked side by side for years, growing closer, relying on each other. He wanted to tell her almost every day. But he couldn't, not when he had yet to become the man she deserved. Now though, he wished that he had. The choice was in front of him. He had to choose. Who would live and who would die. Oliver's chest tightened unbearably so, to the point where his body forced him to gasp for air. He couldn't do this. His choice: save Thea or save Felicity.

He watched as Slade pointed his guns at the two women in front of him. Oliver watched as Thea cried openly as she felt the barrel against her head, not understanding why she was there, why Slade was going to kill her. She was innocent in this. She didn't know about her brother's alter ego. Thea didn't know the man he really was.

His eyes flicked toward Felicity, who was holding her head high and keeping her tears back as she stared at Oliver. He watched as the gun dug harder into her skull. Still her gaze never wavered, the intensity he saw nearly brought him to his knees. She still believed in him, trusted him. Felicity was telling him silently, that whatever choice he made, she would understand. He could see that she already accept her fate. Felicity knew her position in his life. She had no doubt about that. She was his partner, his confidant, his best friend, the person he could really care about. Oliver could read it plainly in her eyes, the love and understanding. Felicity knew that his choice, whatever it would be would break him. Break him to the point of becoming irreparable. So she was telling him what to do. Telling him what his choice should be.

Oliver started to shake his head as Slade told him, "I will pull the triggers at the same time. It's time to make your choice, my old friend."

Oliver clenched his jaw as he said forcefully, "Don't do this, Slade. They have nothing to do with what is between us."

Slade shouted, "They have everything to do with it. You need to suffer like I have. Feel the loss like I do. The pain of knowing that you couldn't save the one you love. So make your choice."

Oliver saw the moment Slade's fingers started to pull the triggers. Letting his arrow loose, Oliver grabbed another one quickly, praying that he could save them both. The second arrow flew through the air as he heard the other gun clatter to the floor. Oliver watched as the second arrow pierced Slade's arm, pushing it back just as the gun went off. Thea shouted as she felt the heat of the bullet just miss her. Quickly, Oliver looked toward Felicity, who was staring wide-eyed at him, not understanding why he chose her over his own sister.

Oliver didn't have time to think about his choice either. He should have known from the smile on Slade's face that it wasn't over. He chuckled lowly, as he told Oliver, "And now I know." With that he went to grab his sword from his back. Oliver just reacted. Running as quickly as his legs could take him, he watched as Slade's blade drew closer to stabbing Felicity.

The sound that came from Oliver was one he had never made before, as he just got to Felicity in time to push her out of the way. He felt the blade pierce through him, gasping in pain as he felt the hilt hit him just under his sternum. Another gasp of pain left him, as tears pricked his eyes, when Slade pulled the blade out of him. Slade looked down at the sword as blood dripped to the floor in a slow steady pattern. Looking back up at Oliver, he gripped the back of his neck as Oliver started to sway backwards. Lowering him down to the ground, Slade loosened his hold on his sword, the clatter of the metal hitting cement echoing throughout the room. Oliver could hear Felicity's screams, her yelling at him, begging him to get up. Slade leaned in then and whispered to Oliver, "This was not how it was meant to end, my friend. But know that now no one you love is safe. Know, even in your last moments of life, no one can protect them from me. Now that you will be gone, you cannot save them. No one can."

Oliver felt blood starting to clog his throat. He knew this was it. Turning his head to the side he watched as Thea tried to pull Felicity away from them, pull her toward safety. Felicity, though, fought against her, trying to get to him. Tear tracks were visible on her cheeks as she begged him to fight. He let his eyes slide close as his fingers brushed against the handle of Slade's sword. Looking back up at Slade, Oliver rasped out, "You're wrong."

Slade leaned back and laughed humorlessly before asking, "How's that, kid?"

Wrapping his hand around the handle, Oliver told him, "You're the one that taught me, that even in death you can still save those you love." With that Oliver raised the blade and quickly ran it through Slade's heart with the remaining strength he had. The blade tip barely pierced through the back of Slade's shirt, as he gasped in shock and pain. Pulling it out Oliver watched as he stumbled backwards, looking down as blood slowly spilled down his chest.

Slumping back against the ground, Oliver watched as Slade fell to the ground, his chest no longer moving. Gasping for air, Oliver finally let his eyes slide shut, knowing for now, they were safe. His family, his Felicity, they were safe. He felt warm fingers brush against his cheek as his head was lifted to lay on something soft. Oliver forced his eyes to open as he looked up into Felicity's tear streaked face. He watched as her lips moved, them telling him to stay with her. That help was on the way. He coughed once before he said softly, "Felicity."

She shook her head as she gripped his face, "Don't you dare leave me, Oliver Queen. You just need to hang on a little more."

He wiped the tears away on one of her cheeks as Thea came running over and cried out. "Ollie!" Landing on her knees, she grabbed his hand tightly as she sobbed at all the blood he was losing. "Ollie, please."

Oliver tried to smile at her reassuringly, knowing it only came out as a grimace as he spoke softly, "It's going to be fine, Speedy."

She started to shake her head as she begged him, "Don't leave. I just got you back. Don't leave me, Ollie. Please, don't leave me."

Oliver gasped in one of his last breaths as he told his little sister, "I'll always be with you, Speedy." She cried even harder as she closed her eyes, shaking her head, not wanting to believe this was happening. Not again.

Felicity heard the sirens then and hoped flared in her chest. "Oliver, help is almost here. Please, just…stay with us. Stay with me. I can't…"

Oliver looked at Felicity as he tightened his hold on his sister's hand. "I'm sorry." Felicity shook her head as more tears started to roll down her cheeks. She gripped his other hand tighter as she begged him with her eyes to stay with her.

Oliver saw movement behind Felicity and focused on it. Tommy stood behind her and told Oliver softly, "It's time to say goodbye. Let go Oliver, it's time now."

He focused back on Felicity as he tried to tell her, finally let her know how he felt. She only cupped his cheek as she told him softly, "I know. I've always known."

Taking in one last breath Oliver looked at Felicity one final time, her love for him plain on her face. In that moment he finally felt content. An inner calm spread through him as his heart beat one last time and his eyes slid shut. Oliver Queen died that day with the two people he loved the most by his side.

As police swarmed the building, as Detective Lance came up behind Felicity and looked down at the scene, and as everyone stood in silence at the loss of a hero, something shifted. A darkness fell over the two women in the room, something that would never go away. As Felicity and Thea looked at each, they knew they would forever be bonded by more than their loss. By something much stronger. Something not even Slade could ever think of.

* * *

The rain poured down on Starling City, thunder and lightning filling the air around them. The two women stood side by side watching everyone run for cover, unaware of their presence. Darkness gripped at the corners, trying to engulf everyone, trying to hide the danger and crime. It couldn't hide from them though. For they lived in darkness, they fed off of it. Darkness feared them. No one could hide from them. Not anymore.

A scream echoed through the streets, beckoning them. Lightning broke the sky in half, illuminating the two figures on the rooftop. The guardians of the city. As they were shrouded in darkness again, the blonde haired savior turned to the other and spoke the words they shared every night softly, "For Oliver."

The other woman, brunette hair hidden beneath her hood, gripped her bow and nodded, "For Oliver." They slipped through the darkness, their home, finding those who tried to destroy it and brought justice. In his memory.


End file.
